Tighten your hold on your camera and prepare to take your best shots as we go dark for one hour today as the Quezon City government in collaboration with Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department hold its Earth Hour 2012 Photo Contest. Read on to know the complete mechanics and prizes to look forward!

Quezon City Government

Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department

(QC-EPWMD)

EARTH HOUR 2012 PHOTO CONTEST

A. Contest Mechanics

1. All amateur and professional photography enthusiasts, ages 18 and above, and are bonafide residents of Quezon City may join the contest.

2. Photos must be taken in Quezon City during the Earth Hour Event on March 31, 2012 from 5pm onwards.

3. The photograph must depict the theme of the contest, “participation of people and communities” during Earth Hour, highlighting the spirit of environmental awareness and action.

4. There will be two (2) categories for the photo contest:

Category 1: People – Photographs featuring the “who” or the stakeholders of Earth Hour. These may include portraits, small groups, crowds and

the like.

Category 2: Places – Photographs focusing on “where” Earth Hour took place. These should give emphasis on the location or specific areas in Quezon City where Earth Hour was observed.

5. All entries must be in digital form and must be emailed at qcearthhour2012@gmail.com or qcearthhour2012@yahoo.com on or before 3 o’clock in the afternoon on April 10, 2012. Entries submitted beyond the deadline will automatically be disqualified. Each photographer can only submit one entry per category. For each entry, a pair of “before-and-after” shots[1] must be submitted together with the following attachments:

a. Scanned copy of any legal document or valid ID that can guarantee that the participant is a bonafide resident of Quezon City (i.e. driver’s license, SSS ID, passport, etc.)

b. Completed contest registration form (forms are available at the EPWMD Office[2] and QC barangay halls and may also be downloaded

Name (space) Category (space) Before and Name (space) Category (space) After

e.g. JuanDelaCruz People Before

JuanDelaCruz People After

6. The Quezon City Government shall have no liability for delayed, corrupted or lost entries.

7. All entries must be an original material taken by the photographer and should not include watermarks, signatures, frames, date and/or time stamp or any other markings on the photo.

8. Digital manipulation is not allowed. Enhancements must be limited to basic post-processing such as adjustments of contrast, minimal color- balancing, sharpening, cropping, and dodging and burning.

9. Entries must be unpublished and exclusive to this contest within the duration of the photo contest. It must not have been submitted and should not be submitted as an entry in any other contest within a year after the contest.

10. The Quezon City Government respects the rights of the photographer and recognizes that the copyright of the photograph belongs to the photographer. Nonetheless, by participating in the contest, the photographer shares his/her copyright to the Quezon City Local Government within the duration of one year after the contest. The Quezon City Government will give appropriate credit whenever the photo is published and used by the Department for the purpose of information, advocacy, campaigns and promotions in all its future projects, whether print, online, or any other medium.

11. The QC Government has enjoined all QC stakeholders in the observance of Earth Hour, e.g., barangays, schools, government agencies, non-government organizations, malls, food chains, supermarkets and other establishments. It is the participant’s responsibility to obtain, prior to the actual shoot and consequently, submission of the photograph, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the exhibition and use of the photograph in the manner set forth in these Contest Mechanics without additional compensation.

12. QC EPWMD employees, contest judges and their relatives (up to the third degree) are prohibited to join the contest.

B. Selection of Winning Entries

1. From all the submitted entries, five (5) judges composed of photographers and Quezon City Government representatives shall select 10 entries per category or a total of 20 finalists. The judging process shall be audited by an authorized third party. The decision of the board of judges is final.

2. The 20 finalists shall be informed on or before 3 o’clock in the afternoon of April 12, 2012 through email and will be announced in the Quezon City Government website.

3. The selected finalists will be asked to submit hard copies/ printouts of their photographs in A4 size or 8.27”x11.69” on or before 3 o’clock in the afternoon of April 13, 2012.

4. The 20 finalists’ entries shall be put on display at the Quezon City Hall Main Lobby from April 16 to 20, 2012 as part of the week-long celebration of Earth Day.

5. Awarding of winners shall be during the flag raising ceremony on April 23, 2012.

6. The criteria for judging the photograph are as follows:

(40%) Thematic Relevance - Relevance of the photograph to the theme of the contest

(30%) Creativity and Originality - Style, technique and skill

(30%) Technical Excellence - Clarity and quality of photograph

_____

100%

7. The winning entries shall receive the following cash prizes:

ITEM

Category

People

Places

1st prize

9,000 + Certificate

9,000 + Certificate

2nd prize

6,000 + Certificate

6,000 + Certificate

3rd prize

3,000 + Certificate

3,000 + Certificate

Honorable Mention

(7 per category)

1,000 + Certificate

1,000 + Certificate

8. Costs of photo developing, transportation/attendance to the event and other related expenses shall be shouldered by the participant.

[1] One photo before the switch off and another photo after the lights have been switched off for a total of two photos.